The Tasting Panel magazine

October 2015

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66  /  the tasting panel  /  october 2015 DOMESTIC 90 Ghost Pines 2013 Winemaker's Blend Merlot, 86% Sonoma County, 14% Napa County ($25) Dark and silky with plum and cassis; rich and balanced with dense texture and lovely spice. 6% Petite Sirah. E&J GALLO 92 Gary Farrell 2013 Chardonnay, Olivet Lane Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($45) Pure and racy with searing acidity and graceful flavors of spice, vanilla and tangy fruit; elegant and layered, complex and yet simple. VINCRAFT GROUP 90 Dancing Crow 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Big Valley District ($18) Silky, smooth and juicy with bright, tangy fruit; fresh and balanced, racy and mellow. Organic. 90 Truchard Vineyards 2013 Estate Roussanne, Carneros ($25) Truchard proves that Carneros can produce wonderful Rhône varietals. Long and elegant with minerals, floral notes and crisp acidity; lush and dense. 91 Barden 2014 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills ($48) A new Santa Rita Hills–sourced label from Doug Margerum. Juicy style and elegance; long, tangy and bright with racy style and and considerable finesse. MARGERUM WINE COMPANY 92 Winter's Hill Vineyard 2012 Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills ($39) Lush and juicy with tangy cherry and pure flavors; crisp, racy and bright, long and lively. 90 Le Chateau 2012 Petit Verdot, Columbia Valley ($29) A dense and floral stand-alone Petit Verdot with notes of chocolate and spice; smooth and balanced with harmonious flavors. 92 Clos Pegase 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($50) Smooth and velvety with deep, ripe, lush flavors; long, balanced and seamless; generous and charming. VINTAGE WINE ESTATES 92 Emmolo Wine Company 2012 Merlot, Rutherford ($60) From Jenny Wagner of the Caymus Wagners; dark and rich with smooth texture and lovely, mellow notes of spice, chocolate and plum. 90 Eighty Four 2009 Petite Sirah, Napa Valley ($65) Dark and showing a blackberry nose; thick and rich with juicy cassis and plum; smooth, lush and intense; a superhuman effort with this variety by Doug Shafer and Elias Fernandez of Shafer Vineyards. In each issue, Editor-in-Chief Anthony Dias Blue selects a wide range of the best wines and spirits from among the more than 500 he samples over the course of a month. The reviews are subjective editorial evaluations, made without regard to advertising, and products are scored on a 100-point scale: 85-89: VERY GOOD 90-94: OUTSTANDING 95-100: CLASSIC Once products are selected for publication, producers and importers will be offered the option of having their review accompanied by an image (bottle photo or label art) for a nominal fee. There is no obligation to add an image, nor does the decision affect the review or score in any way. The "twisty" icon indicates wines sealed with a screwcap closure. For additional Blue Reviews, go to www.tastingpanelmag.com. Prices are for 750 ml. bottles unless otherwise noted. Anthony Dias BLUE REVIEWS BLUE REVIEWS

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